Duplicity

Chapter 8

            Fitz sat in his office reading and rereading the same paragraph. He couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything but Olivia. He had left her standing in his hotel suite nearly an hour ago and he missed her already. How was he supposed to run for president or do anything, for that matter, when Olivia Pope would not get out of his head?  His office phone rang and he reached to answer it, “Hello?”

“Fitzgerald” Mellie’s voice shook him from his daydream and served to douse any heat rising within him, “Why did you get off the phone so quickly last night? You can’t avoid me forever, you know. If you expect to get elected you had better start acting like you don’t detest being around me.”

“Mellie, I’m busy” Fitz’s voice was void of emotion as he turned in his chair to look out the window, “I don’t detest being around you…”

“Save it Fitzgerald” she interrupted, “I’m just trying to get you to see that your campaign is in trouble if you don’t let me help you.” She let that sink in for a second before continuing, “Regardless of the new addition to your staff…”

            The reference to Olivia sent sharp pain shooting through his chest. “Mellie, you have no reason to pick on Olivia. She’s here to help us, me and you, get into the White House” Fitz pointed out in what he hoped was not too defensive a tone, “She left a very well-paying job to help me get elected.”

            Mellie felt a twinge of jealousy hearing her husband speak so highly of his newly hired campaign manager. “She’s wonderful Fitz…” she tried to sound sincere, “I’m sure she will do wonderful things for you. She’s young…she’s attractive…”

“She is also brilliant, highly qualified, and fantastic at what she does,” Fitz felt anger bubble to the surface as he tried to regain his composure, “It doesn’t matter anyway, Mellie, she’s here to help us win.”  Mellie snorted in retort, barely saying goodbye before hanging up the phone.  Fitz leaned back in his chair covering his face with his hands and silently counting to ten before turning back to the report he had been attempting to read.

“Hi” she said as his chair turned around.

            Fitz looked up as desire reached every inch of his body, “Hi” he managed as Olivia stepped inside and moved in the direction of his desk, taking a seat in one of the chairs adjacent to it.

“I didn’t intend to interrupt” her gaze traveled down to her hands as she folded and refolded them in her lap.

“You are never interrupting, Livie” he assured her, “Never.”  He leaned across his desk lowering his voice, “I wish I could kiss you right now.”

            Olivia’s cheeks burned as she raised her eyes to his; “You probably shouldn’t” she smiled at the quote from the night before reaching to touch his arm which brought a smile to his face. The next word fell from her mouth before she could stop it, “Mellie?” She really didn’t want to know but lately her masochistic side was controlling her words and actions.

“Yeah, I’m not even sure what this morning’s argument was about….” His words trailed off.